Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

That worldly things are the caufes efidolatrie. 674;.' our loue; how infinitely more excellent and amiable is God, the author of all their goodneffe,and thole ioyes which hehath prepared for vs in our owne Country? Or if we cannot, being tiedwith our feules vnto things prefent, feate our affe6fions wholly in heaucn,nor altogether fixe our hearts and minds vpon God,the author of all our good,becaufe they are pulled downe from this hie pitch of heauenly meditations,with the weight ofour worldly necef$ tics; yet at loft let vs imitate the Eagle, which taketh all her delight in boating abone the clouds,and in looking vpon the Sunne, and feldome ftoopeth,but when hun- ger compelleth her tofeeke after her pray: fo let our conuer- si cuntta mum. facionbewholly in heauen, and let vs take our chicle delight dirclimqueremä in contemplating the beaatie and excellencic of the Sunne ofpot /lu,f urme- righteoufneffe,and King ofglorie,neuer Cuff-ring our heartsand m,q,;di hints minds to reff longer upon earth, then the neceffïties of nature tamemper ee doe confaraine vs. And feeing we cannot leaue the world alto.. eon reneaaini gether ;yet(as one perfwadeth vs)let vs fo take hold ofit, that it Fmrundo. _ .dot not take hold ofvs,and fo poffeffe the things ofthc world, mit, ge, in Lne that we be not poffcffed of them ; faits haue them vnder the r 4,ló. ruie,and at the command efour minds, that they doe notim- prifon them on earth in the flautfh bands of carnall loue. Let vs haue earthly things in our vfe, but heauenly in ourdefires; let them (rue as helpesin our iournie,but let vsxeferue thole eter- Phil:3.:o. nailioyes,asourchichehopes forouriournicsend; let vs looke vpon worldly benefits,but on the one fide, as palling bythem; but let the des of our foules be firmely, and with all intention fixedbefore vs on our heauenly happineffeivnto which we are trauelling. Finally,ifthe earth for a time muff needs haue our I.Cer.7a93a. bodies,yetlet God haue our hearts and minds ; and though we bee conftrained tovfe the things of the world, yet let vs take heed(as the Apoflle exhorteth) that we doe not abufe themvn- to finne, by 1 ttingouraffediotasmorevponthem ,then vpon God himfelfe,and the riches ofhisKingdome. The lccond maine finne direly againil themaieftie ofGod, which thefe worldly things ouerualued, and immoderately lo- That roorldty ued,doe caulevstofall into, is that capitali finne ofidolatrie, things iomode- whereby men as much as in them lieth,pull God out of his roi- rarefy lowed, all throne,and treafonablvfet vp in hisplace another Lord and ' J tau King,to whom they acknowledge their fealty and alleageance. X x a For